Valve.



PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.*-

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RALPH ROVER LAMB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE Application filed December 19, 1904. Serial No. 237,553.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l', RALPH Rovnn LAMB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Valve, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has particular relation to float-operated valves orball-cocks for fiushing apparatus, though perhaps useful for otheranalogous purposes.

One of the objects is to provide valve mechanism of a novel and simplenature that is balanced by the pressure of water, so that no great poweris necessary to operate the same' and such power can remain constant,

Another object is to provide mechanism which can v be readily employedeither as a manually started or as an automatic periodically operatedflushing apparatus.`

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: Figure l is a sectional View through a tank, showingone of said embodiments in elevation. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on anenlarged scale through the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional viewtaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a detail top plan view of thejoint between the arms of the float lever. Fig. 5 is a detailperspective view of the valve stem with the valve and pluger. thereon.Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the other embodiment of theinvention. Fig. 7 is a top plan view partly in section, showing thejoint between the sections of the arm.

Similar referencenumerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

Referring first to the embodiment shown in the first ve figures, thetank 8 illustrated may be of any well known form or construction andlocated within the same is a casing 9, having a chamber 10 therein, and`provided with a depending nipple 11, extending through the bottom of thetank and suitably secured by a nut and washer 12 and 13. This nipple isprovided with a water supply inlet conduit 14, to which may be attachedthe supply pipe from a water main. ing a part ofthe casing 9, andpreferably made integral therewith is a guide cylinder 15, the inner endof which is open and communicates with the chamber 10, the outer endbeing also open and communicating directly with the interior of thetank. Another guide cylinder 16 is located in the opposite end of thecasing 9, being preferablyl threaded therein, and having its bore ofequal diameter with thebore of the cylinder 15. The inner portion of thecylinder y16 projects into the chainber 10, and has its inner endcommunicating therewith, while its outer end is :formed into a dependingspout or nozzle 17, that opens downwardly into the Specification ofLetters Patent.

Form-- Patented July 2, 1907.

tank. The inwardly projecting portion of the cylinder 16 is spaced fromthe surrounding walls'of the chamber, and formed in the side walls ofsaid cylinder is a series of water ports 18, that are preferably, thoughnot necessarily, disposed in spiral relation, as illustrated in Fig. 2.Extending longitudinally through the casing and through the cylinders isa valve stem 19, that is'longitudinally slidable and carries a plungervalve 20, located in the guide cylinder 16 and movable to positions onopposite sides of the opening or ports 18 when the stem is moved. Saidplunger valve comprises a guide nut of'equal diameter with the cylinderbore, and a cup abutted against the inner side thereof, and also ofequal diameter with the bore, as shown. Secured to said stem 19 andlocated in the other cylinder 15 is a plunger 21, that is also in theform of a guide nut and cup, both engaging the cylinder walls, saidplunger and plunger valve being of equal diameter. One end of the stem19 projects through the head of the spout 17 and secured thereto is ayoke 22, in which is engaged the lower end of an arm 23, pivoted betweenits ends upon an ear 24, carried by the casing or spout head. The arm 23constitutes, in effect, one section of a float lever, the other sectionbeing in the form of an arm 24h, carrying at its free end a iioat orball 25. These arms are pivotally connected at their Vadjacent ends,said ends being provided with heads 26, having circular series ofinterfitting teeth 27, which normally hold the sections or arms againstrelative pivotal movement, the heads being united by means of a pivotand holding bolt or screw 28. A separate outlet from the chamber withinthe casing is through a pet cock 29, having a turning plug 30, by meansof which this outlet is controlled.

Assuming that the parts are in the relation shown in Fig. 1, and thatthere is no water in the tank, will be evident that the float or ball25, being depressed, will hold the valve and plunger in the positionshown in Fig. 2. Therefore, water entering the casing through the inlet14 can pass freely through the ports .18, and thus into the cylinder 16,from which it escapes through the spout 17 into the tank.` As the levelof the water in said tank rises, the float 25 will, of course, beelevated, and the ports 18 thus be successively cut off from the spoutby the movement of the plunger valve 20 to positions between said portsand the spout. Consequently, the supply of water will be gradually cutoff, without any hammering or quick action on the part of the valve.

Moreover, it will be clear that the plunger and plunger valve being ofequal diameter, the pressure of the water on the valve mechanism will beexactly balanced, and it will require merely the buoyancy ofthe float toclose the same and the weight of said float to open the valve, no matterwhat the water pressure may be. This is an important feature of theinvention, particularly when the simplicity of the structure is takeninto consideration. The mechanism as thus arranged is, oi course, ioruse in connection with manually started ilushing apparatus. In case itis desired to employ the mechanism `for automatically flushing at statedperiods, the arm 24b of the iioat lever is released from the arm 23 byloosening the screw 28, and said arm 24" is swung to an oppositeposition or to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It willtherefore be clear that, when thus arranged, with the ball or lioat inits lowermost position, the supply of water will be cut off, and saidsupply is only admitted to the tank through the spout 17 when the floatis elevated. The pet cock is thereupon opened to any suitable degreedesired, in order to allow the continuous iiow of water. With thisarrangement it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, as thelevel of the water rises, due to the flow into the tank through the petcock, the iioat will also be gradually raised, and, when the level ofsaid water is high enough to begin the usual siphon action, the float isso arranged that it will automatically open the main supply. Thereuponthe Siphon will be started and will not be broken until the water hasbeen discharged from the tank and the valve 20 again moved to closedposition. From this it Will be seen that simple mechanism is providedwhich can be employed either in connection with manually started orautomatic periodic flushing apparatus.

The other embodiment, illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, has substantiallyall the advantages hereinbefore set forth. lt comprises a casing 9,having a chamber l0, and a nipple 11, through which a iiuid supplyopening l2 leads to said chamber. An upstanding guide cylinder 13,carried by the casing 9, has its inner end communicating with one end ofthe chamber, while another guide cylinder 14 communicates with the otherend otthe chamber and projects into the same, as shown at 15, theportion ot said chamber surrounding the inwardly extending end of thecylinder 14 being preferably enlarged, as shown at 16 in order that theWalls thereof may be spaced from the Walls 15. Said Walls 15 areprovided with the usual spiral series of ports 17, constituting means oicommunication between the chamber 10 and the interior of the cylinder,said cylinder having its outer end communicating with the downturneddischarge spout 18 A valve stem 19, mounted to slide longitudinally inthe cylinder 14, is provided with a cup valve 20, movable to positionson opposite sides of the ports 17, while in the cylinder 13 is a slidingplunger 2l, carried by a stem 22, the plunger-and valve being equal indiameter, the two cylinders thus being also equal in diameter. Mountedon an intermediate portion oi the casing 9 is a standard 23, upon whichis mounted a lever 24 that is pivoted between its ends, this leverhaving itsarms respectively connected to the stems 19 and 222i. Each ofsuch arms constitutes, in effect a section oi a float lever, the othersection being an arm 25, that carries at its free end a float or ball,while its opposite end is pivoted, as shown at 28, to one of the arms oithe lever 25. The said lever 24 and float arm 25 are thus capable ofadjustment but are ordinarily held against the same by means of asuitable bolt 26, carried by the arm 25, and irietionally engaging aquadrant 27, carried by the lever, said bolt passing through thequadrant, as shown in Fig. 7.

With the parts as shown in Fig. (l, it will of course be understood thatthe supply oi water is cut oil trom the tank when the iloat is raised,but when employed in automatic flushing apparatus, the arm 25I is merelychanged to the opposite end oi the lever 2li, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. G, the casing 9 being provided with a pet cock 25) thatcommunicates with the cli-.unber 10.

lt is believed that the operation oi this structure will be readilyunderstood and that a iurther detailed description thereof is thereforeunnecessary.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, without iurther description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details oi construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacri ficing any oi the advantages oi the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. ln apparatus of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving a chamber, ot' a water supply conduit communicating therewith,guide cylinders located in the casing and having bores oi' equaldiameter, said cylinders having conununication at their inner ends withthe chamber and having their outer ends openingl exteriorly of thecasing, one of said cylinders having a port in its side wallcommunicating with the chamber, u plunger valve slidable in the lattercylinder to positions on opposite sides oi' the port, a counterbalaneingplunger ot equal diameter' with the plunger valve and slidubly mountedin the other cylindcl', said plunger and plunger' vulve huvini,r slidingwater-tight engagements with the cylinders, connections between theplunger and plunger vulve for simul taneously moving them andmaintaining them in balanced condition at all times, said connectionsextending exteriorly of the'cusing, und :i float coupled to thc exteriorportions of the connections and moving tht` same to there by move theplunger valve and plunger.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving a chamber, oi :i water supply conduit communicating therewith,aline( guide cylinders located in the opposite ends of the casing undhaving bores of equal diameter, said cylinders having communication attheir inner ends with the chamber and having their outer ends openingexterior-ly oi the casing, one of snid cylinders having :l port iu itsside wull communicating with the chamber, a stem extendinglongitudinally through the cylinders and chamber, u plunger vulvemounted on the stem and slidnbly mounted in the cylinder lluving theport, said vulve comprising :1 guide nut ot' equal diameter with thecylinder bore, and a cup abutted against the nut and engaging thecylinder walls, :i plunger mount ed on the stem and slidably fitted inthe other cylinder :1nd comprising a guide nut o1' equal diameter withthe cylinder bore and n cup abutted against the nut und engaging suidcylinder walls, said vulve :ind plunger being et equal diameters andhaving their cups disposed in opposition to each other, and :l pivotedilont having a connection with one end of the stem.

Il. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a casinghaving u chamber provided with :1n enlarge ment :it one end und :inopen-ended cylinder :1t the other end, of another cylinder threaded intothe enlarged end ol` the casing und having its inner portion spaced fromthe udjnccnt walls ot the chamber. said cylinder heilig provided with nlateral inlet port and terminating ut its outer end in an exposeddepending spout, a bracket carried by the projecting portion ol snidspout, a ilout pivoted on the hrneliet, a stem connected to the tient,slidably passing through the spout, and longitudilnilly through thecylinder, the chamber, and the opposite cylinder, und plungers connectedto the stem and respectively operating in the cylinders, one ol' saidplungers constituting a valve and heilig movable to site sides of theport, a stem connected to the valve and positions on opposite sides ofthe port, said stem, plungers, and float being removable with thecylinder and spout when the same is unscrewed. l

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination With a casinghaving a cylinder provided with a lateral inlet port and a dischargespout, of a slidable cupped plunger valve movable in the cylinder topositions on opposlidably projecting through the casing, a yoke carriedby the exposed end of the stem and-a float lever, said lever' comprisingan arm detachably and pivotally supported between its ends upon thecasing, said arm having one end loosely engaged in the yoke of the valvestem and having a circular series of teeth at its other end, a oat'armhaving a series of teeth at one end that adjustably interlock with theteeth of the rst mentioned arm, a pivot connecting the arms, said pivotbeing disposed concentrically to the series of teeth and holding saidteeth in intertting engagement, and a float carried by the free end ofthe float l'm.

y5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a tank ofa casing located therein, and having separate outlets separatelycommunicating with the tank, a l

manually actuated valve for controlling one outlet, a movable valve forclosing the other outlet, a float, and means connecting the float indifferent relations to said movable valve in order that said valve maybe opened or closed upon the elevation of the float.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination With a tank of acasing, having a supply chamber pro' vided with an outlet deliveringinto the tank, a manually operated faucet connected to the casing,communicating with the chamber and delivering into the tank, anautomatic valve controlling the outlet from the chamber, a pivotallysupported arm connected to the valve, a oat having an arm, and means forconnecting the arm of the float on either side of the pivot of the rstmentioned arm,

whereby the valve can be either opened or closed upon the

